Vertically stringed grand piano



A. P. BROWN 2,532,286 VERTICALLY STRINGED GRAND PIANO 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 M 2m M 3 a a M m R a J 5, w 3 m ,x mw an 7AM 6 W 5 LE 0 m WM 5 z 2 a M 4 4 M 1 8 d 6 e 0 7 a \3 w M Z I V j @V a w Q a 1 o 5 I 0 w I 0% 2 l 7 f u 1| N 4 MW o M w m 5 Y w A? 8 m 3 Z 2 ME: 0 5 6 Z Dec. 5, 1950 Filed June 7, 1947 o YZJ Dec. 5, 1950 A. P. BROWN VERTICALLY STRINGED GRAND PIANO 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed June '7, 1947 Man-E INVENTOR. flfawmdfirffirazwz,

Patented Dec. 5, 1950 2,532,2dii

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE VERTICALLY STRINGED GRAND PIANO Alexander P. Brown, Beechhurst, N. Y.

Application June 7, 1947, Serial No. 753,186

11 Claims. 1

It iswell known in the art of the grand pianos that they take up too much floor space in the average home. Reason for this is that the strings are stretched horizontally on a horizontal plate.

In order to save floor space in the modern small homes, a grand piano is provided with a vertical plate, and the strings are stretched vertically, thus saving much floor space in this new type of piano.

The invention provides a standard height small grand piano with -vertically stringed plate improved to accommodate longer bas strings, contrary to the constructionheretofore employed. The bridge of the bass strings is placed near the tuning pins instead of the loop end of the bass strings.

The invention provides an increase in the sounding board .areafor the bass bridge area, by decreasing the bass side of the wrest plank or tuning pin block.

The invention provides a grand piano with a demountable slip or skirt to cover the under cut bottom portion of the vertical plate, strings,.sound board and back. A frameless .demountable front bottom board with pedal cut outs may be also used. This insures accessibility for the piano technicians to-repair, clean or re-decorate to any color scheme of a home.

The invention will be more fully described hereinafter, embodiments thereof shown in the drawings, and the invention will be finally pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings,

Fig. 1 is a vertical central section of an average height grand piano of the compound rounded rim case type. having the improved case, plate, and undercut sounding board embodied therein;

Fig. 2 is a front view of the improved plate with bridges and soundboard behind the same;

Fig. 3'is a detail section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a detail sectiontaken on line -44 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a front view of the soundboard and pin block with frame removed and showing the bass bridge directly on the soundboard, and the treble, bridge extended to the lower corner and supported by a footing, the dotted lines indicating the rear back framing posts;

Fig. 6 is a detail section taken on line 65 of Fig. 5;

Fig. '7 is a detail section taken on line l-! of Fig. 5;

Fig. 8 is a plan view partly in section of the empty case, with keyboard, pedals, plate, soundboard, the back framing posts, and case fastening flanges shown therein;

Fig. 9 is a, horizontal section of the lower part of the undercut portion;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the demountable cover or skirt;

Fig. 11 is a front view of the same;

Fig. 12 is a section taken on line i22 of Fig. 2; and

Fig. 13 is a section taken on line i3i3 of Fig. 2.

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the various views.

Referring to the drawings, and more particu larly toF-igs. 2 to 7, the plate 533 made of cast iron or the like in the manner well known, consists of a body portion H and lateral extensions 52 and 13, at the upper part thereof. At the front part of the frame IE3, ribs or upright flanges 55 are provided to strengthen. the plate in the manner well known. To lighten the frame, openings ii; are provided as known.

The improvement consists in providing a reenforcing member 28 substantially parallel with the rib or flange 5 at the left hand side of the frame, so that a trengthening member is provided at each side of the plurality of bass strings 2 I to resist the strain of the strings.

The upper part of the plate I B has an opening 56 increased in size to enable a bridge 23 to pass therethrough, which bridge is secured to the upper part of the soundboard 25. The bridge 23 has a rib 24 with guide pins 2% thereon for the strings 2 I. The bridge 23-with openings 2" (which may be omitted) is supported on the footing 23s, as shown in .Fig. 7. The footing extends under the plate. The soundboard 25.11215 2. body portion 250. and lateral portions 25b and 250. By extending the soundboard by means of the lateral extensions 25b, and extending the plate accordingly,.an increased size of sounding board is provided and the location of the bass bridge 23 made possible, together with the arrangement of the tuning pins 45, and string pressure resistance bar 43, all at the upper end of the soundboard.

The soundboard 25 also supports the treble bridge 21 for the treble and mid section strings, and the bridge 21 extends downwards to the lowest left hand part of the soundboard as practical to convey the vibrations towards the central part of thesoundboard, that is, to bring the vibrations away from the edge of the soundboard. The lowest portion of the mid bridge 27 is supported by a bridge member 28 on a footings! secured to the 3 soundboard 25. The lower end portion of the bridge 2'! extends from its end to the footing 3i and is spaced from the soundboard, the portion from 39 to 3i being inclined to the soundboard.

A wrest plank or pin block 33 is of angular shape, the smaller or bass end 33a fitting into the space 34 between the flanges 35 of the plate 10 (Fig. 12). These flanges 35 act as a re-inforcement to the plate. The wider part or treble end 36 fits into the space 34a between the reinforcing flanges 35a. of the plate It (Fig. 13).

These flanges extend along the rear of the plate from end to end. The upper part of the soundboard abuts against the lower flange as seen in Fig. 1, and seats on an extension 36.

At the upper part of the plate It and at each side thereof, the reinforcing flanges 55 (Fig. 8) are integral with the plate, and have openings 55 for the passage of fastening screws 51, to secure the plate to the casing 5i} (Figs. 1, l2, and 13).

The rear of the soundboard has strengthening ribs 31 as known (Fig. 1). The dotted lines in Fig. 5 indicate back framing posts 38, as known (see also Figs. 8 and 9). Reinforcing beams 39 connect the posts 38.

The bass strings 2! are secured to hitch pins 40 (Fig. 1) arranged partly on the lower surface of the frame and partly on the bottom edge of the plate. Approximately one third of the bass strings extend below the plate. From the hitch pins 40 the strings 2! pass over a pressure resistance bar 4| guided by pins 62, and then extend upwardly over a pressure resistance bar 2 of the bridge guided by pins 26, (Figs. 1 and 2) and then over the plate pressure resistance bar 43 having guide pins 44 and then to the tuning pins 45.

The left portion of the midsection strings 45 pass over the spaced portion of the bridge 21, guided by pins 4'5, and up to the pressure resistance bar 48. The treble strings 49 are arranged and secured in the well known manner.

By arranging the lowest group of the bass string, hitch pins 48 at the bottom edge of the plate In, and the plate pressure resistance bar 4| at the lowest possible position of the plate, and placing the bridge 23 with its pressure resistance bar 24 at the highest possible position at the top of the plate, the vibration lengths of the strings are longer than when used as heretofore. This is of importance since in this piano plate the effective part of the strings are longer than heretofore, for the same size plate, and thereby give a [better bass tone.

The re-inforcing members 15 and 28 being arranged parallel with the direction of the bass strings 2!, and one at each side of the same, give strength to the plate and resist the forces created by the tensioned bass strings. As the improved frame is shorter lamrally than the usual frame to enable the piano to be narrower, and as the plate has openings near the lateral edges, these strengthening flanges are important. The reinforcing flanges 55 serve to strengthen the upper two ends of the plate 5 5.

The improved plate andsound-board are shown as applied to a piano in Fig. 1. The soundboard 25 is secured to the crownframe 5a, which is secured to the back 39 as known. A reinforcing beam 5| is provided. Bolts 52 join the plate I9, to a reinforcing plate 54 seated in the reinforcing member 5|.

The piano case is supported by legs 58, provided with vibration absorption means 55, The

embodiment utilizes three legs, namely, two front legs and one rear leg, only two being shown.

Space saving latch pedals 6i operate in the usual manner, but are in the embodiment of very simple construction. It requires only two bolts 65 for pinioning and securing three pedals into the piano. Heretofore a set of three pedals required three pins, four pinion blocks and eight screws to give the same results.

The vertically disposed plate I5} with the soundboard 25, divides the upper case as into two parts, the front part A and the rear part B.

The front part A is enclosed by a perforated top 63, on which a music desk 54 is arranged, by a frontboard 56, by a cover or fallboard 56a, by a front wall 67 and by a key-bed 68. A piano cover 19 is hinged at 'H to the left of the bass side of the case.

Within the front part A are the keys 715, the piano actions H, a touch control 18, a damper mechanism 19, and key frame rails 76c, and 80. One touch control 18 at one side of the case is for the treble, and one is at the other side of the case for the bass.

The piano actions Tl may be easily taken out separate from the damper mechanism :9. The structures of the piano actions shown are more particularly described and shown in my copending application Serial No. 703,969 filed October 18, 1946, reference to which is hereby made.

The keys l6 and the key frame rails 76a and 813, with the actions 17, all of them may be slidably taken out as a unit, by removing the front board 66. The front wall 5%?) is attached to the keyboard.

Below the keyboard 86 is a space, and this is utilized for a sheet music container or drawer 32, which may be moved out of the front of the case, the front 83 of the container 82 forming a part of the front of the piano. This drawer may be separately moved out.

The space A forms a sound mixing or acoustic chamber.

The rear part B, extends rearwardly of the soundboard and forms a resonance space as described and shown in my applications Serial No. 654,116 and Serial No. 654,117, filed March 13, 1946, now abandoned, of which this application is a continuation in part, and such space cooperates in vibratory resonance with the space A in the casing formed by frontboard 65, mid-top 53, with openings 63a and walls of the casing 58. The bottom 81 of the rear part B may be open or closed, and the top 8| may be provided with openings Bia, free to the atmosphere when the cover Ill is up.

The upper parts of the plate, and soundboard, and in the embodiment the upper part of the frame, extend from side to side of the piano case and divide the case into a forward sound resonance chamber and a rearward resonance chamber. The vertical casing is intermediate or between the front and rear of the piano case, longitudinally considered, and also transversely considered. The vertical resonance chamber at the rear of the soundboard in the vertical casing, forms an inverted L shape with the rear resonance chamber of the horizontal piano case, these vertical and horizontal resonance chambers being in communication with each other. The interior of the vertical casing at the front of the soundboard of the vertical casing communicates with the horizontal resonance chamber in the piano case at the front of the soundboard. The two horizontal resonance chambers of the piano case arehorizontally in line strings struckby-the hammers.

The: case 60- is'preferably-made of: plywood as 1 known" and as shown.-

The part B rearwardly of the platei g exten-ds to'conform-to thewi'dth of tho-soundboard-laterally,- and the configuration of the'case may vary rearwardly thereof.

Below-the upper case, avertical downwardly r extendi-ng back frame fifi is provided (Fig;- 9).- The improvement here is a demountable skirt.

For: this: purpose; theframeless front bottomboard 9l withpedal'cut'outs 61a has its sides provided-*"witngrooves; 92, at its innersurface. Before thisbottomfrontboard :91 a is applied, the skirt 93 is placed in position. This skirt-*93- consists of "a larger portion 94-of angular shape having a-sidewall' 9 5 l1aving a flange 9 9 to lee-seated and secured byscrews El through the-slots 99a to the'front of the upright 90. To thelarger pertion 94, a smaller=portion 9B is hinged." A flange 99 is .alsolon the smallenside portion 98, to be seated on and 'securedby screws 91 through the slots 99a to the fronttofthelupright 96a. The pivoting at 93a of this part 98 facilitates the attachment. The front bottom board 9| is then applied with the suitable cutouts Slaoverand along the sides-ofthe-peda-ls' and byhaving its lower end grooved at 91a it is engaged by a flat piece angle bracket 9 lb (Fig. 1). The upper part of the'front-bottom board 91 is held by a spring Bic secured: to the'keybedfiii; The skirt maybe of metal suitablydecoratedor of plastic. The color of the skirtmay bein conformity with the color scheme of 'the room. This. demountable skirt'facilitatesaccess to the lower p-artof the piano.

I have describedseveral formsof my invention, but obviously various'changes may be madein the .details disclosed without departing from, the spirit oftheinvention as setout'in the following claims:

I claim:

1. In. a piano, the combinationof a,.case,of"

grand'piano configuration; a vertically disposed soundboard; a' vertically-disposed string plate connected with the soundboard, a vertically disposed back frame parallel with and secured to said soundboard, and extending below the grand piano case, the upper parts of the frame, plate and soundboard extending from side to side of said case and dividing the grand piano case into a forward sound resonance chamber and a rearward sound resonance chamber, and a vertically disposed casing enclosing the parts extending below the grand piano case, said last named casing being intermediate the front and rear of the grand piano case.

2. In a piano, the combination of a case of grand piano configuration, a vertically disposed soundboard, a vertically disposed string plate connected with the soundboard, a vertically disposed back frame parallel with and secured to said soundboard, said plate, soundboard and frame extending below the grand piano case, the upper parts thereof extending from side to side of said case dividing the case into a forward sound resonance chamber, and a rear resonance chamber, and a vertically disposed casing enclosing the parts extending below the grand piano case, said soundboard, plate and frame being undercut in the parts extending below the grand piano case, said last named casing being intermediate the front and rear of the grand piano case.

with the parts- 0f the 3. In a'piano; a vertically disposed'lower casing,

said casing having a front bottom board, anda detachable-skirt; said skirt having an angular major member forming-the rear of the casing,

and one side forming-the side of the casing, and aminor part hinged'to the major partforming theother-sideof the casing.

4. In a-piano, a vertically disposed lower casing, saidcasing-having'a front bottom board, and a detachable skirt; said skirthaving an angular major member forming the rear of the casing andone side forming the side'of'the casing, and a minor parthinged-to the major part forming the other side of the casing, said front bottom r board being -frameless-and having cutouts for the pedals.

5. In a piano, a vertically disposed casing, said casing ha-ving-a-front bottom board, and a detachable skirt,-- said skirt having anangular major member forming the rear of the casing and one side forming the side of the casing, and am-inorpart hinged'to the major part forming the otherside ofthe casing, both of said sides having-flanges with openingsfor the passage of screws, for detachably securing the skirt-tothe front bottom'board.

6-.- In a'piano, a string plate, and undercut soundboard, an undercut back withposts and re-enforceinen-t bolt plate, a wedge shaped pin-' block'onthe back and-above the soundboard, flanges extending from-the plate on the side frontof the soundboard to strengthen the plate, said-flanges extending along the top of the plate and partially alongthe uppe side ofthe plate, said lateral flanges havin- 'o cning s for screws to attach the flanges to a rim or upper casing of the piano, and said plate having rear snugly fitting fianges extending from it over the Wedge shapedpinblock, having bolts to secure the p ate downover" the soundboard" to said back post frame:

'7. In a piano having strings, a string plate h'avingan-opening and tuning pins at the upper right end, a' soundboard parallel with the plate,

afooting on-the soundboard at its lower left end,

abridge for" the midsection-strings on the foot ing and extending through the string plate opening, an intermediate inclined member on the footing and supporting the lower left end of the midsection bridge in an inclined position and guide pins for the strings in the bridge.

8. In a piano, a string plate having a horizontal flange extending across the string plate at its upper rear portion, and a second flange at the rear of the plate extending across the string plate and inclined to the first flange, a soundboard parallel with the strin plate, and terminating at its upper end below and contiguous to the inclined flange and having an inclined end parallel with the inclined flange, a back post frame, and a wedge shaped pinblock above the soundboard, and embraced by the said flanges of the rear side of the plate and secured to the back post frame.

9. In a piano, an undercut string plate, an undercut soundboard, an undercut back with posts and re-enforcement bolt plate, wedge shaped pinblock extending from side to side of the plate on the back of the plate and above the soundboard, flanges extending from the plate on the front side of the plate to strengthen the plate, said flanges extending continuously along the top of the plate from side to side and partially along the upper sides of the plate, said lateral flanges having openings for screws to attach the flanges to a rim or the upper casing of the piano.

10. In a piano, the combination of a horizontal piano case of general grand piano contour, a vertical string plate, a vertical soundboard, both having a transverse length substantially equal to the width of said case, means on the string plate and soundboard to secure the same to the sides of the case to divide the case into a forward and a rearward resonance chamber, said string plate and soundboard being undercut at the bottom of the case, the undercut portions of the string plate and soundboard extending vertically below the bottom of the case, with the sides of the undercut portions of the string plate and soundboard spaced inwardly from the lateral walls of the case, and spaced inwardly from the front and rear walls of the case, bass strings extending from the lower right hand side of the string plate to the upper left hand side of the string plate, midsection strings extending from the lower left hand side of the string plate to the upper right hand side of the string plate, treble strings at the upper right hand side of the string plate, a wedge shaped tuning pin block at the upper end of the soundboard, tuning pins arranged in said block, from one edge of the block to the other edge, the tuning pins for the upper ends of the bass strings being at the narrower end of said block, and a bridge for the bass strings adjacent said narrower end, whereby the upper ends of the bass strings, extend over a lateral extension of the string plate formed by the undercut, and to near the upper edge of the spring plate, and the largest soundboard area for said bass strings, is obtained relative to the vertically shortened string plate.

11. In a piano, having a vertically disposed soundboard with a vertically disposed string plate with strings, the combination of a horizontally disposed case having a horizontal bottom and a top parallel therewith with vertical enclosing walls, including front, rear and side walls connecting the bottom with the top, enclosing the upper part of the vertical soundboard, plate and strings, and the hammers, said case extending forwardly and rearwardly of said upper parts forming resonance chambers, one in the front enclosing all of the hammers, and one in the rear of the soundboard horizontally of the hammer of the piano action, and a Vertically disposed casing having front, rear, side and bottom walls with an open top, enclosing the remaining and lower part of the soundboard, plate and strings, said vertical casing extending from the bottom of horizontal said case with the front and rear of the vertical casing spaced inwardly from the front and rear walls of said horizontal case, the interior of the vertical casing at the rear of the soundboard communicating with the resonance chamber of the horizontal case at the rear of the soundboard and forming with the laterally extending horizontal resonance chamber an inverted L, and the interior of the vertical casin at the front of the soundboard communicating with the resonance chamber of the horizontal case at the front of the soundboard.

ALEXANDER P. BROWN.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 153,101 Miller July 14, 1874 211,360 Wallace Jan. 14, 1879 654,715 Conover July 31, 1900 857,299 Norcross June 18, 1907 1,090,324 Mehlin Mar. 17, 1914 1,749,585 Janssen Mar. 4, 1930 1,990,574 Story Feb. 12, 1935 2,081,704 Heller May 25, 1937 2,087,033 Jusby July 13, 1937 2,199,211 Schimmel Apr. 30, 1940 2,200,913 Bronson May 14, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 306,763 Great Britain Feb. 28, 1929 20,279 Great Britain Nov. 10, 1892 

